


The Dead Arise.

by timid_turtle_timi



Series: Mystery Squad [1]
Category: Coraline (2009), Gravity Falls, ParaNorman (2012)
Genre: Body Mod AU, Coraline - Freeform, Crossover, Paranorman - Freeform, Post-Canon, tattoo artist Norman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-09
Updated: 2016-06-09
Packaged: 2018-07-13 23:46:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7143401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timid_turtle_timi/pseuds/timid_turtle_timi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seeking a new start Norman Babcock moves across the country to Portland, Oregon; opening a small tattoo and piercing parlor. Just as Norman seemingly settles into his new life he is visited by the spirit of one Fiddleford H. McGucket, who pleads with Norman to locate mystery author Dipper Pines and save the town of Gravity Falls from catastrophe. Despite his reservations he agrees to make the journey alongside a trusted friend. The road ahead is daunting, but little does Norman know that he will soon meet other pieces to the puzzle in the small town out in the woods, and that he will unlock secrets of his own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dead Arise.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so this is part of a project that I couldn't get out of my head for a while that mainly started because I can't get enough of writing poly-amorous ship dynamics. Then I started thinking of the similarities between all my favorite shows and this was born. I'm still working on the plot, but first I'm writing out the beginnings for each of the characters. Once I have them down for Norman, Wirt, and Coraline I'll converge all the story lines into the beginning for Mabel and Dipper and from there write out the main plot. I'll also be writing the little side adventures that they all have together when I need a creative break from other projects. It's bound to be a mess, but I'm excited to do it and I hope you enjoy! UwU

Portland had been an experience compared to the slow pace of his former small town home. Wide streets loaded with alternative shops, alleyways glowing with neon club signs, and the eccentricities of its people were invigorating to Norman. Here he wasn’t as odd as the next person. After the town had been ravaged by Agatha, Norman had been celebrated for a while, but as time drew on the way he would openly talk to the dead drew more and more negativity.  
It was only a couple years after high school that he decided to move himself across the country in search of a new start. He worked himself down to the bone as a tattoo apprentice at the only shop in town, slaved his way through odd jobs, and did anything else he could just to afford the gas money to make his start. Then a miracle occurred. His sister, the one who showed her love by pure annoyance, surprised him with a plane ticket. “You get out there and hang out with some real weirdos. But if you land on your ass don’t come crying back to me.” she snipped as she tossed her hair over her shoulder. Leaving him to smile among the mass of packed boxes around him. From that day his journey began.

With the money he had massed he bought a dinky little shop that had an apartment above. The floorboards were creaky, the counters really needed to be redone, but overall the place was clean. For him it was more than he could have ever hoped for. In the alternative center point of the city his popularity grew in just a few short months. Soon he had laid out a good schedule for himself, befriending the local spirits floating around, and even hired himself a piercer. Life was beginning to settle in for Norman Babcock.

Things were slow that day in the shop. His early appointment cancelled on him, Coraline had been in and out running errands, and his usual trickle of walk-ins had halted with the start of a thunderstorm. He sat at the front counter lazily flipping through an old magazine when he felt a slight prickling at the nape of his neck. Straightening, he rolled his shoulders and looked around his empty lobby. Not a soul living, or dead, had come by. Shrugging it off he returned to the bland article, but a small nagging kept at the back of his mind. The ringing of his entry bell, and the gust of wind that ruffled the magazine pages startled him as a figure in a drenched yellow slicker burst through the door. Shrugging off her jacket Coraline ran a hand through her soaked blue hair. Annoyance plastered on her face she threw a package onto the counter next to Norman. “This was on the porch ghost boy. You’re lucky that I picked it up before the storm got to it.” Unsure of how to approach her bad mood, Norman accepted it with a timid thanks as she sulked her way to the back.

The label of the package was blurry, but he could make out the name of the sender with some effort. He didn’t know an F. McGucket, but he figured it must be important if he sent something. Ripping open the seal Norman found a strange little copper device. There were three knobs along the side that stuck steadfast as he tried to turn them. He could hear a faint rattling when he shook it. Rolling the thing in his hands he found a tab on the side. Pull me, inscribed on the slip.

Thinking rationally about this Norman was skeptical. He had received a strange looking thing from some person he didn’t know. His paranoia said that there was no way this would end well for him if he followed the instruction of some stranger. His logic however said that he didn’t know anything was wrong with it, and he wasn’t the kind of person someone would seek to just blow up. His thoughts however were interrupted by a bored voice. “Are you going to just sit there or are you going to pull it?” the surprise of his piercer appearing beside him brought a strangled cry from him as he turned to meet her unimpressed gaze. “Norm you’re overthinking it again.”

“I know.”

“So just do it.”

“But what if it like, explodes or something?”

“Then at least we’ll know what it was.”

“Can’t appreciate it if we’re dead you know.”

Coraline merely shrugged and nodded towards the device. “Can’t know if we’ll be dead until you try it.” He questioned this reasoning greatly, and the tapping of Coraline's foot was putting him on edge, but with a shaky hand he grabbed onto the flimsy tab and tugged. The device opened with a puff of smoke and a spark, but overall the reveal of an empty case was underwhelming. “Man I was hoping for something exciting.” Coraline whined returning to the back of the shop. 

Norman looked at the device again. He had an odd feeling that it was more than it seemed. The prickling at his neck had returned, and he looked around the shop one last time to convince himself nothing had changed. Turning to retrieve paperwork from the drawer, he met frantic glowing eyes the color of mildew. Surprised, he took a step back from the deceased elder that now floated before him. He was dressed well with a button up shirt hanging out of slightly worn brown slacks, on his face was a scraggling beard, and he wore a shabby slouching miners hat atop his head. The shakiness of his voice chilled the room as he croaked, “Are you Norman Babcock?” an odd twang accented his voice and he made a grab for Norman’s shoulders. Letting the odd misty sensation pass through his flesh he nodded slowly. “Good golly," the man cried "The device actually worked! My name is Fiddleford McGucket. I’m a scientist from Gravity Falls.” The ghost was obviously excited with the fact that he had gotten there, but Norman stared at him in apprehension as he continued on in a frenzy. “ I don't have much time, the barrier, the curse, it's all going to find me! A great tragedy is about to befall Gravity Falls, and it will affect the balance of the universe! Norman the dead of the Falls are frantic! I came back to warn my trusted friends, but alas he too has gone into the void. You can speak to the dead, I need you to go to Gravity Falls Norman. Go to Gravity Falls, and prevent this catastrophe!” 

The old man waited eagerly for Norman’s reply, but Norman only stared. The nonsense that this man was speaking concerned him. “I’m sorry… Fiddleford was it? But I have no idea what you’re saying. What catastrophe? What are you doing here looking for me?” Mcgucket’s face fell as he took in the sight of the younger man. “Norman I don’t expect you to understand, and I wish I could explain everything, but I’m running out of time.” Already the old man had begun to fade and flicker in and out of this plane of existence. Hearing the desperation in his voice, Norman nodded. “Tell me what you need me to do.”

“You can’t be serious.” Coraline deadpanned as she watched her boss run back and forth in his small apartment. “I’m really sorry, but I have to leave as soon as possible, and I don’t know when I’ll be back.” Or even if he'd be back. Norman did feel bad in his defense. Suddenly needing to close the shop and let go of his employee wasn’t the ideal situation for him. But the fate of the world was at stake. “And you’re getting to Graffiti Walls how exactly?” she quipped still lounging on top of his now empty kitchen counter. “Gravity Falls,” he corrected. “And I haven’t figured that out yet. All I know is that I need to talk to Dipper Pines.” Coraline quirked a brow. “The creepy hermit mystery guy? You’re not going to go off on some crazy adventure out in the middle of the woods to meet a possible psycho by hitchhiking,” Norman opened his mouth to protest. “Not without me.” He turned to face her at this. “You’re coming?” She gave an exasperated sigh. “No duh. No offense boss, but you’re not exactly the toughest guy around. Some creep would definitely take advantage of a shrimpy thing like you. So we’ll take the Cadillac and we’ll just go together. Besides I could use a little adventure.” 

While Norman knew he wasn’t the strongest person, he figured that his above average height and extensively tattooed body would be enough to at least scare off a few predators. However, a safe ride with his self-defense savvy friend did sound a lot better than the alternative. But McGucket had said that there was danger in Gravity Falls, and the last thing he wanted was to endanger the young girl. The smack of an airborne eraser snapped Norman out of his musings. Coraline glowered at him as is she were reading his mind. “Look ghost boy, I’m coming whether you like it or not. Just save me the trouble of tracking down your scrawny ass on the highway.” With that she kicked off from her perch. “I’ll go pack what I need, we leave at eight.” When his door closed Norman whined, smothering himself with a pillow and asking himself how he’d gotten himself into this.

The next morning Norman found himself stuffing a duffle bag and three boxes in the back of Coraline’s Cadillac. Her things crammed into the trunk, and a cat carrier lying open and empty in the backseat. Said cat had taken up residence on the dashboard and promptly greeted Norman with a disturbingly understanding expression. Coraline herself was dressed for the adventure ahead, however that was meant to be dressed for, in a black biker jacket and brightly colored knee highs. Norman could see her pikes laced up to the top, she meant business. “I’ve got a route all laid out for us. Should take about two weeks.” Norman groaned. “Why so long?” he could already feel his motion sickness coming for him. “This place is literally in the middle of nowhere. It’s ridiculous how long it took me to find a map that even had the damn place on it! Had me wondering if it even existed at all. Even with the map I had to make some guesses on how to get there. It’s like the world just went and forgot about it, most of the roads have either been closed off or are under construction.” she grumbled as she started the engine. “So buckle up Normy, it’s going to be a long trip.” He definitely felt sick now.


End file.
